Record repeater



R. A. WOLFE RECORD REPEATER Filed April 11, 1958 Aug. 9, 1960 INVENTOR M4. M M

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 9, 1960 2,948,537 RECORD REPEATER Filed Apr. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 727,948 1 'Claim. (Cl. 274--15) This invention relates to a record repeater for phonographs, and has for an object to provide a simple and effective device which may be placed on top of disc records while they are being played, and at the end of the playing of the record will automatically lift the reproducing needle from the record at the inner edge of the playing surface and will transfer it to the outer edge of this playing surface and re-deposit it on the surface in playing position to repeat playing of the record.

Another object is to provide a device which will effect this repeat operation without requiring any change in or addition to the turntable driving means. object to provide a device of this character in which the repeated playing of the record will be carried on indefinitely or as long as desired by the operator without any action being required on his part.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be of simple construction and may be made of any suitable material, such, for example, as a thin sheet of plastic material, and also in which the device is adapted for so shifting the needle for repeated playing of the record by turning movement of the record, and a still further object is to provide such a device which is adapted for so controlling the repeated playing of records of different sizes or diameters.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing the device in position on a record on the turntable of a phonograph;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof looking toward the bottom of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. l on a larger scale, and

Fig. 4 is a section substantially on line 4--4 of Fig. l on a larger scale.

It is often desirable to repeat playing of certain phonograph records, particularly where they are used to furnish music for dancing, and it is an object of this invention to provide a simple and effective device which may be used for this purpose. In the embodiment shown it comprises a member formed from a thin sheet 9 of suitable material, preferably a sheet of thin plastic, which is provided with means for automatically transferring the reproducing needle from the inner edge of the playing surface on completion of playing of the record to the outer edge of this surface for again playing the record, without requiring any action on the part of the operator.

For this purpose the sheet material is provided with an opening 11 adapted to receive the spindle of a phonograph turntable (not shown) on which the record 12 being played is supported, and this spindle properly posi- It is also an tions this device on the top surface of the record. For 33% or 78 r.p.m. records this opening would be of a size to receive the smaller spindle used on the turntable for positioning this type of record, but for 45 r.p.m. records it may be of a larger size to correspond with the larger central opening required for these records.

This body member is provided with one or more radially extendingslots 13 and 14.- In the device shown in the drawing there are two of these slots for operation with records of different diameters. These slots are of a length to correspond with (preferably somewhat longer than) the width of the surface of the record comprising the playing surface, or that is, the surface provided with the playing grooves, a portion of which are shown at 15. In the present article the longer slot 14 is of a length for use with a ten-inch record, while the shorter slot 13 is of a length to correspond with the playing surface of a smaller record, in this case a six-inch record. For a twelve-inch record it would be of a length to correspond. Extending laterally or backwardly from each of the slots 13 and 14 is a curved slot 16 and 17 respectively, each communicating with a slot 13 and 14 at its inner end and forming a curved continuation thereof, these slots each terminating in a free end 18 and 19. Extending from the free end of each of the curved slots is a guideway for the needle leading from this free end to the outer end of the connected radial slot 13 or 14. Thus there is a curved guideway or channel 20 extending from the inner end 18 of the slot 16, and therefore from the inner end of the radial slot 13, around and spaced a suitable distance from the opening 11 and communicating with the outer end of the radial slot 13, as indicated at 21. Similarly, there is a curved channel 22 extending from the free end of the slot 17, and therefore also the inner end of radial slot 14, to the outer end of the slot 14 and communicat ing therewith, as indicated at 23.

These guideways for the needle may be formed in different ways, but are preferably formed by pressing upwardly extending, laterally spaced and transversely curved ribs or beads 24 and 25 in the thin sheet of material for forming the respective guide channels 20 and 22 between them. These ribs or beads are also extended on opposite sides of the slots 13 and 16, as indicated at 2-6, and the opposite sides of the slots 14 and 17, as indlicated at 27, to assist in guiding the needle in these s ots.

The body member is also provided with a substantially rectangular portion 28 at the forward side of the slot 14 to form a hand grip to facilitate handling of this device in applying it to or removing it from a record, and also to provide a support or rest for the head 29 enclosing the flexible diaphragm on the tone arm 30 of the phonograph, this head also carrying the reproducing needle 31 connected to the diaphragm for operation thereby by the usual connection 32. This portion 28 may be strengthened and stifiened by a bordering bead or rib 28a.

In the use of the device, it is placed on top of a record 12 and positioned or centered thereon by the central spindle of the turntable in the opening 11. This device therefore rests on the top surface of the record and is positioned with the slot 13 or 14, depending on the size of the record, with the needle 31 in this slot. In the arrangement shown for playing the larger record it is located in the slot 14, which is preferably of a length to extend somewhat beyond the outer edge of the playing or grooved surface 15, so that the needle may be placed on the ungrooved strip or band 33 at the outer edge of the record. This needle therefore runs into the grooves and plays the record in the usual manner as it extends through the slot 14. As one edge of this slot engages the needle, this device is held stationary on the surface of the record by this needle as it moves inwardly across the playing the needle,

eration. The same action is 16 and the guide surface during the playing operation. When it reaches the-inner surface of the grooved surface of the record,

this needle runs into the connecting slot 17, and as this slot is curved in the opposite direction from the direc- 111011 of rotation of the-record, which, as is-well-known, I is clockwise as viewed from "the arrow 34, thedevice'lt) -by thene'edle 31, andtherefore'it starts to rotate with the record. This canies "the the top, 'andas indi'cated by is -no longer held station'ary member' continues to rotate with -the'record the needle is carried by this'channel or groove ZZ'to-the outer end of the slot 14 and depositsit in'this slot-at the point23 at the outer edge of the playing surface 15. As this needle drops into this slot 14 the edge of'this slot, and also possibly assisted by the raised rib or head 27 engaging Will again stop turning movement of this member 10 so that the needle again begins to play the record and moves along the slot- 14 to the inner end thereof and the slot 17, to again repeat the cycleof opsecured by the slots 13' and groove or channel 20 for the smaller records.

As indicated above, this device it) is preferably jmade from a thin sheet of plastic material which is of light Weight and can be readily held stationary on the top'ofthe record by the needle against the turning action of the record, without affecting the sound reproducing action of this needle, but at the proper time will rotate with the record to automatically transfer the playing needle from the inner edge of the playing surface of the record to the outer edge of this playing surface for the repeat operation. The device is also readily applied to the record for use therewith and may be easily removed when not required. It will be seen this device can-be used with any turntable for automatic repeat playing of either in theturntable or its drive mechanism.

Having thus set forth claim:

A record repeater comprising a thin sheet of material adapted to rest on a phonograph record on a turntable and provided with an opening to receive the turntable spindle, said sheet provided with a radial slot through which a reproducing needlemay-engage the record, said sheet also including a-laterally extending curved slot forming an extensionwofuthe inner end of the first :slot and terminating at a free end, said-sheet-provided on its top surface with a curved guideway extending from the free end of the cuiv 'edslot 'tothe'outer'en'd of the radial slot adapted to receive andlift theneedle from the curved slot and carry it to the outer end of the radial slot by turning movement of the repeater With the record, said curved guideway and slots bounded on their opposite side edges by raised convexly curved ribs "extending above the nature of my invention, I

the top surface of thesheet, saidsheetalsoincludi'ng'fia substantially rectangular portion providingfa platform extending forwardly from the radial slot =at-the forward 'side thereof bounded by raised tr ansversely curved ribs, said rectangular portion extending beyond the} periphery of the phonograph and thereby providing a'hand' grip for the repeater, said rectangular portion also providing a support to hold the reproducing-head at the free'fe'nd of the tone arm ofthe phonograph 'WhiIe the neEdIe is' removed from the record.

References Cited in the "file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,173,501 Geer F'eb. I'29;19'16 1,414,980 Clements 'May'. :2, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS 475,295 Canada- Iu1y- 17, 1951 

